Container for packaging papers

ABSTRACT

A generally rectangular container for packaging newspapers and other sheet-like material, in which there are provided a pair of top panels that retain the newspapers within the container and which are spaced-apart to provide an opening for inserting the newspapers into the container.

1451 Sept. 24, 1974 United States Patent 11 1 ali m wm m mm .l f 6068 le m wmnw l v lae0 SHEPRH 8 42 245557 999999 wumm m 1 1 [21] Appl. No.:268,621

Primary ExaminerLeonard Summer 229/46 865d 5/20, B65d 85/00 [57]ABSTRACT Field of Search A generally rectangular container for packagingnewspapers and other sheet-like material, in which there [51] Int.

are provided a pair of top panels that retain the newspapers within thecontainer and which are spacedapart to provide an opening for insertingthe newspapers into the container.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures1,091,075 3/1914 229/46 1,174,745 7/1915 Neinken et a1. 229/46 CONTAINERFOR PACKAGING PAPERS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates in general to containers and more particularly to acontainer useful in packaging newspapers for convenient disposal.

It has become more important to recycle as much material as possible inorder to prevent needless depletion of natural resources and pollutionof the environment by chemical by-productsof those processes that areused to convert raw natural materials into staple products such asnewsprint. Accordingly, it is now of ecological value to recyclenewspapers, and this is being done by large scale collection ofnewspapers discarded by householders.

However, the bundling of newspapers by cord tying involves considerablenuisance and leaves the papers exposed to rain and weather.

The invention provides a disposable packaging container that can be usedfor storing the papers as they accumulate daily, and which is relativelyweatherproof.

According to the invention, there is provided a generally rectangularcontainer having a bottom wall, side walls connected to the bottom wall,and a pair of top panels each connected to a correspondng side wall andsupported thereby. The top panels are disposed in opposing relation withtheir edges spaced-apart to define an opening for insertion of thenewspapers or other sheet-like material to be packaged. The bottom wallhas length and width dimensions approximately equal to those of thepaper material to be packaged, but the length dimension of the insertionopening is less than the bottom wall length due to the reductionafforded by the top panels. Thus, even though the insertion openingwidth is substantially the full width of the bottom wall, the packagedpapers are retained between the bottom wall and top panels due to theoverhang presented by the top panels. The papers are easily slipped intothe container one or two at a time simply by bending them over enough toslip under the top panels and then flattening the papers within thecontainer.

After the last paper has been slipped into the container, the totalnumber of papers in the container being determined by the height of theside walls, a weatherproof plastic or cardboard sheet is then slippedunder the top panels and secured by a tie member to hold all paperswithin the container and protect them against weather. The tie memberpasses through the container and is connected to the bottom wall,extending therefrom over a length sufficient to pass around the sidewalls and encompass the insertion opening, with sufficient excess toallow the ends of the tie member to be knotted together.

While the container of the instant invention can be fabricated in avariety of ways, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, the bottomwall, side walls and top panels are all parts of a common sheet ofmaterial folded and cut along predetermined lines.

The invention furthermore provides a pedestal that engages the bottomwall and a side wall of the container to support it in an uprightinclined attitude with the insertion opening presented for easy access.

For a better understanding of the invention and its various advantages,reference should be had to the accompanying drawing and the followingdetailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container shown in FIG. 1 as seenset up in an associated holder stand.

FIG. 3 is a developed view of the container shown in FIG. 1 showing howthe container can be made by cutting and folding a sheet of paperboard.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the container shown in FIG. 1 as takenalong line 44 therein.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 1 and 4exemplify a container 10 for packaging newspapers and other sheet-likematerial. Container 10 is generally a rectangular shaped box and has abottom wall 11, a first pair of side walls 12 and second pair of sidewalls 13 shorter than walls 12. The walls 12 and 13 are connected tobottom wall 11 and their height determines the capacity of container 10.Typically, walls 12 and 13 are of equal height and sufficient to coverthe stacked thickness of about 10 days ordinary newspaper editions,which is approximately 4 to 5 inches.

The invention further provides a holder stand 21, shown in FIG. 2,having pedestal pieces 22 disposed to engage the bottom wall 11 and aside wall 13 of container 10 to hold it in an upright inclined attitudefor easier insertion of newspapers.

A pair of top panels 14 are connected each to a corresponding side wall13 for support thereby and extension therefrom with their edges 15spaced-apart to define an opening 20 for the insertion of the newspapersto be packaged.

Bottom wall 11 has length and width dimensions approximately equal tothose of the newspapers packaged, the intention being that eachsuccessive newspaper to be collected in container 10 is bent about itsmid-length by an amount sufficient to slip it under both top panels 14and then is pressed flat against previously collected newspapers 16, asbetter seen in FIG. 4. After the last newspaper 16 is inserted intocontainer 10, a waterproof piece 17 of cardboard or plastic can beslipped into container 10 in the same manner to cover the opening 20 andthereby protect papers 16 from the weather.

As seen better in FIG. 1, the container 10 is provided with a tie cord18 that is connected to bottom wall 11, as by adhesive strips 19, andextends transversely across wall 11 passing out through openings 21expediently located at the corner joint between each side wall 12 andbottom wall 11. The length of cord 18 extending beyond the width of wall11 is sufficient to go across both walls 12, encompass the opening 20and form a knot joining the ends of cord 18 so as to secure thenewspapers 16 between bottom wall 11 and top panels 14.

The dimensions of top panels 14 are, as measured parallel to walls 13,substantially the full span of each wall 13, ie equal to the full widthof bottom wall 11, and in the transverse direction, as measured parallelto walls 12, are expediently about 4 to 6 inches. This will give a toppanel 14 overhand (4 to 6 inches) at each end of container 10 that issufficient for most ordinary newspapers, and of course, these dimensionscan be changed as becomes advantageous for the size of sheet material.

While the container 10 can be fabricated by joining together separatepieces of material such as weatherproofed cardboard, etc. the inventioncontemplates a container 10 construction in which the bottom wall 11,side walls 12 and 13 and both top panels 14 are all parts of a commonsheet 30 of material that has been cut and folded along predeterminedlines as shown in FIG. 3.

Sheet 30 is folded along two parallel lines 31 extending along anddefining its full length dimension, and along two parallel lines 32 atright angles to lines 31 and which define the full width dimension ofsheet 30. The rectangular area enclosed by the lines 31 and 32 is thebottom wall 11, and the respective rectangular areas between lines 32and widthwise outward of each line 31 up to the longitudinal edges ofsheet 30 are side walls 12. The edges of top panels 14 are the end edgesof sheet 30, and the boundary between each side wall 13 and itsadjoining top panel is defined by a respective fold line 33 which isparallel to lines 32.

Sheet 30 is cut at each of four corner areas along perpendicular lines34 and 35 so as to define respective approximately square flap pieces 36that fold about a portion of a corresponding line 32 extending beyond aline 31. Such cutting also produces four triangular flap pieces 37 thateach fold about a portion of a corresponding line 31 extending beyond aline 33.

Accordingly, sheet 30 can be considered as having a central portion thatdefines bottom wall 11 to which side walls 12 and 13 are hingedlyconnected along fold lines 31, 32, and in which top panels 14 arehingedly connected to respective side walls 13 along fold lines 33:

To assemble a container 10 from a sheet 30, flap pieces 36 and 37 arefolded against their adjoining side walls 12 and top panels 14temporarily to allow the pieces of sheet 30 which form side walls 12 and13 to be folded up at right angles to the bottom wall 11 piece. Tosecure each pair of adjoining walls 12 and 13, the flaps 36 are laidflat against the inside face of respective walls 13 and fastened theretoas by gluing or stapling. With flaps 36 secured to walls 13, top panels14 are folded down parallel to wall 11 about respective lines 33 andflaps 37 are tucked in and secured to the inside faces of walls 12.

To allow the container 10 to be shipped in a substantiallypre-assembled, but flat-folded condition, sheet 30 is provided with acenter fold line 40 and diagonal fold lines 41 and 42. The diagonal foldlines 41 in walls 12 allow the walls 12 and 13 to be folded inwardlyflat against wall 11 even after the flaps 36 are secured to walls 13,and flaps 37 are secured to walls 12.

Diagonal lines 42 in panels 14 allow panels 37 to be folded back uponthe folded down walls 12 and 13.

What is claimed:

1. A container comprising a bottom wall, two pairs of opposed side wallsconnected to said bottom wall, a pair of top panels supported by theside walls in opposing relation, the edges of said top panels beingdisposed in spaced-apart relation to define an opening for the insertionof sheet-like material, and a tie member extending from said bottom wallover a length sufficient to encompass said opening to secure suchsheet-like material between said bottom wall and top panels, said sidewalls being foldable against said bottom wall, and said top panels beingfoldable against a first pair of said side walls to accommodate settingthe container into a flatfolded pre-assembled condition for compactness,said bottom wall being generally rectangular and having length and widthdimensions approximately equal to those of said sheet-like material tobe inserted, said bottom wall, side walls and top panels all being partof a single common sheet of material folded along predetermined lines,said sheet being cut at each of four corners along generallyperpendicular lines to define side wall flap pieces connected alongrespective fold lines to said first pair of opposite side walls, and todefine top panel flap pieces connected along respective fold lines tothe top panels, said top panel flap pieces being fastened to said firstpair of side walls, said side wall flap pieces being fastened to theother pair of side walls, said first pair of side walls having diagonalfold lines allowing them to be folded inwardly flat against the bottomwall, said top panels having diagonal fold lines allowing the panels tobe folded down against the first pair of side walls.

1. A container comprising a bottom wall, two pairs of opposed side wallsconnected to said bottom wall, a pair of top panels supported by theside walls in opposing relation, the edges of said top panels beingdisposed in spaced-apart relation to define an opening for the insertionof sheet-like material, and a tie member extending from said bottom wallover a length sufficient to encompass said opening to secure suchsheet-like material between said bottom wall and top panels, said sidewalls being foldable against said bottom wall, and said top panels beingfoldable against a first pair of said side walls to accommodate settingthe container into a flat-folded pre-assembled condition forcompactness, said bottom wall being generally rectangular and havinglength and width dimensions approximately equal to those of saidsheet-like material to be inserted, said bottom wall, side walls and toppanels all being part of a single common sheet of material folded alongpredetermined lines, said sheet being cut at each of four corners alonggenerally perpendicular lines to define side wall flap pieces connectedalong respective fold lines to said first pair of opposite side walls,and to define top panel flap pieces connected along respective foldlines to the top panels, said top panel flap pieces being fastened tosaid first pair of side walls, said side wall flap pieces being fastenedto the other pair of side walls, said first pair of side walls havingdiagonal fold lines allowing them to be folded inwardly flat against thebottom wall, said top panels having diagonal fold lines allowing thepanels to be folded down against the first pair of side walls.